


Bad Romance

by cleo4u2, xantissa



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, BUCKY IS JEALOUS, Bottom!Bucky, Cuddles, Flirting, Fluff, Hair Pulling, Identity Porn, Kissing, M/M, Natasha gets shit done, No Angst, Rough Sex, Scars, Steve is jealous, steve knows bucky’s body better than his own, top!steve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-14
Updated: 2017-04-14
Packaged: 2018-10-18 21:13:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10625259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cleo4u2/pseuds/cleo4u2, https://archiveofourown.org/users/xantissa/pseuds/xantissa
Summary: Steve meets a mysterious stranger at a costume ball, but is he a stranger? Their mission parameters may have changed, but they still get the job done.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Beta'd by the one and only Glow Cloud, [NurseDarry](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NurseDarry/profile). ALL HAIL.

Steve twitched.

“Relax, Rogers,” Natasha murmured, her red lips brushing his ear as she made a perfect show of pressing her ample bust into his arm. “Getting twitchy will only make him more suspicious.”

“He’s been staring at us for twenty minutes,” Steve replied, the ache of his face muscles telling him his smile was looking forced.

“Twenty-two,” Clint corrected from the bar.

“And he just clocked you, bird-brain,” Tony snapped.

“What?” Clint squawked. “No one clocks me.”

“Looked right at you for a ten count,” Tony argued. “Even gave you a once over. Ten bucks says he knows you’re carrying.”

“God damn it,” Clint grumbled.

“Seriously, we need to do something,” Steve said to Natasha. “We have one shot at this.”

“You’re team leader,” Natasha said with a smile that would have made Steve’s toes curl if he didn’t know better. She was just trying to play up their role as a couple for the guy who was going to bust their mission if they didn’t _do_ something about it.

“You’re the infiltration expert,” Steve returned. 

She hummed, pleased and amused by him in equal measure.

“Admitting you can’t handle the heat?” She gave her voice that throaty little growl that made at least two men near to them turn to look with obvious interest in their eyes. Steve put his hand on her back and glared for all he was worth, but it gave him an idea. Maybe a terrible idea, but hey, he was already being stared at. 

Tightening his hold on her waist, he didn’t explain the plan because she was the best, and he needed the emotions the assholes had given him fresh, not cooled after a tactical discussion. 

Unlike Natasha, he wasn’t the best at this. The fancy suits, the elaborate masks, how stunningly dressed the women were… They were so distracting to him. The artist inside him couldn’t help but appreciate the way the colors and textures of the masquerade, or the expensive gowns that made the women look like princesses or fairy creatures. He itched to sit down and draw them, not work. He couldn’t shake the feeling of regret, couldn't truly focus on the work. For once his personal interests were more appealing than stealing some potentially damning documents from a safe. And the huge guy he only saw from the corner of his eye, but could feel watching them both with disturbing intensity.

Ducking his head, Steve forced Natasha’s chin up with his index finger, making her meet his eyes before he followed through on the plan. Her olive green eyes laughed at him, already catching on, as she tilted into him, all soft and inviting. When he kissed her, Steve reminded himself there was nothing _soft_ about Natasha. She helped by biting him.

“Nope,” Clint drawled, “He’s still staring.” 

Steve pulled Natasha closer, backing her against a wall as he kissed her harder.

“Nope,” Clint said. “Openly staring.”

Natasha’s hands clutched at his back, yanking at his neatly tucked shirt in desperation.

“I’m picking up a signal from him, probably some kind of comms,” Tony piped in. “Heavily encrypted. He’s not just a guest.”

Steve could feel a hint of blush staining his cheeks. He knew it was all a show, just a play to have the guy stop watching them, but it was still a beautiful woman pawing at him, and goddamn moaning. Loudly. 

“I think he just shifted to get a better look at you two,” Clint murmured, strained hilarity in his voice. 

“Good job, spy queen!” Tony crowed. “You just got him more interested!”

Closing his eyes, Steve pretended Natasha was, well _not_ Natasha, and dropped his hand to her thigh. He pushed his fingers under the slit of her dress and dragged them upward. A moment later, she was grabbing his hand, then yanking him toward the door to the balcony.

“And we have fooled everyone but the _one guy_ ,” Tony snarled, “who is not even on a guest list I can find? Damn that mask he’s wearing, it’s getting around all my facial recognition software.” 

There were many more uncomplimentary things said under Tony’s breath about sequins and feathers and the evils of them put together, but Steve ignored him. The door to the balcony opened and fresh, cool air rushed into Steve’s lungs. He scrubbed at his mouth.

“Oh, stop it, Rogers,” Natasha said silkily. “I’m not poison.”

“I have never kissed a woman for that long, ever. I am not happy.”

Natasha laughed, silvery and delighted.

“How the world doesn’t know Captain America is the _gayest man ever_ , will never escape me.”

“A teenage Tony mourns that he never got this information,” Tony said. “If Pepper ever leaves me, though...”

 

“Are you trying to terrify me, Stark?” Steve demanded as Natasha shoved him against the wall furthest from the windows. If their mystery friend wanted to keep watching, he was going to have to join them outside.

“Who the hell is this guy? Clint muttered.

“A major pain in the ass,” Tony injected grumpily.

Steve turned to look through the glass doors, trying to place himself so that Nat mostly obscured his body. The guy was standing in clear line of sight for Steve, though it was Steve’s first time actually looking at him straight on. 

He wasn’t as big as Tony had made him out to be, maybe Steve’s height at the most, wide in the shoulders and chest, the cut of his suit suggesting some well developed musculature. Long dark hair was gathered at the back of his head in a smooth bun, and he wore a black suit with cheeky, red, sequined accents on the cuffs, over his shoulders, and an equally red, sparkly feather mask. 

The effect should have been humorous, but there was something terrifying in how still the man stood. There were other people moving, drifting past him, laughing and dancing, but the man was a statue, his head turned towards the balcony door Steve was hiding behind. He didn’t even seem to be breathing, not a strand of hair shifting; like a predator waiting for it’s prey. He emanated so much focus, Steve couldn’t imagine him being just another politician here to have some fun and expand his connections. 

Through the small eye-holes in the red half-mask, Steve could see the stranger’s eyes were a light, stormy grey. The only other part of his face clearly visible to Steve were the wide, soft lips, that looked more inviting than anything Steve wanted to admit, and a strong, clean line of jaw.

“If you get hard staring at the guy who is singlehandedly threatening to blow our covers, I will hurt you, Rogers,” Natasha murmured with the sweetest smile on her face.

“Shut up,” Steve grumbled. “We’re stuck here for the moment, but we have his attention, so, Clint -”

“No,” Clint said.

“- you’re up.”

“Aw, man,” Clint grumbled. “Last time I got stuck in a ceiling vent.”

The man turned his head as if on queue, slowly, deliberately towards where Clint was loitering at the bar. Then he put his hand into his pocket and pulled out a slim, black phone. He swiped his thumb over the screen, making it light up and turned to look back at Steve through the engraved glass of the balcony door. Except, there was no way he could see Steve from this angle, not in the shadows he was in. No way he could know Steve had sent Clint to do Natasha’s job.

No way unless he could hear them.

Fuck.

“Clint, don’t move,” Natasha said, having seen something in Steve’s expression.

“Yes, boss,” Clint said soberly.

The man smiled, his full lips curving up in brief smile as he locked his phone and put it back in his pocket.

“Okay,” Steve said very slowly, “seems you have us at a disadvantage.”

“Who has us at what?” Tony began, when a deep, rich chuckle interrupted.

“You can call me James, Captain.”

Steve flinched at the string of expletives coming from Tony through the comms, managing to catch the phrase, “hijacked the fucking comms,” before Tony, thankfully switched channels. Natasha made a strange, hissing sound, but relaxed at his side.

“It has been a long time, Natalia.”

Giving his friend and teammate a long, searching look, he was merely met with a shrug.

“Not long enough,” Natasha said with a long sigh. “Listen, James, we are rather busy, so if you wouldn’t mind…?”

“And why should I make your job any easier?” James asked, swiping a glass of champagne and looking so unerringly in Steve’s direction he felt they were looking at each other even if that wasn’t possible.

“Because it’s professional courtesy?” Natasha tried, but even she didn’t sound very convinced. 

James just laughed.

“I’m not a very courteous man,” came the response, “but I’m open to negotiation.”

“Seriously?” Natasha sounded surprised and turned to look at Steve in a way he did _not_ like at all.

“What?” Steve asked suspiciously.

“Deal,” she said immediately, as if James was about to snatch the offer off the table. Steve didn’t even know what the offer _was_

“This is why we always get along, Natalia,” James said.

“What?” Steve demanded, louder. “Nat, what -”

She put her hand over his mouth, then snatched the comms out of his ear.

“It’ll just be for an hour. Until the deal is done. I’ll find you. You’ll have fun.”

“Have fun, what?” Steve demanded as she stepped away from him, straightened her dress, and headed for the balcony door. Through which he could see James walking toward them. “Natasha!”

Natasha held open the balcony door and gave him a severe look.

“It’s for the mission, Steve.”

And then she was gone and Steve was staring into stormy grey eyes behind sparkly red sequins and was very glad he was still leaning against the wall.

“Um,” Steve managed. 

“Hello,” the stranger said in a low, gravelly voice, leaning into Steve’s space. “I like the way you move.”

“You,” Steve opened his mouth, closed it again. “What?” Rallying, he stepped toward James, but immediately backtracked when the mountain of a man just…didn’t move. “What did Natasha just offer you?”

The grey eyes behind the mask blinked and then the mouth curled up in an unmistakable smile.

“Are you going to tease me like that?”

Steve oddly felt naked without his comms, more vulnerable than if he were _actually_ naked with this man.

“I,” Steve swallowed, remembering Natasha wouldn’t just be playing a prank with him, “Yes? Isn’t that what spies do?”

The man smiled again, looking pleased and intrigued. Steve watched him, bewildered, as the man licked his lips.

“Oh, Captain, it’s going to be a fun evening.” James reached out and touched Steve’s arm, just a brush of fingertips. “Especially with that attitude of yours.”

Attitude? Steve was going to _murder_ Natasha. Just as soon as he figured out what was going on.

“Um, well, _James_ ,” Steve said pointedly because there was no way this guy’s name was actually James, “how’d you make us, anyway?”

James smiled again, all charm and disturbing familiarity.

“The way you move is pure art,” James said, almost dreamily. “I couldn’t take my eyes off you. You walked like murder and sex, all rolled into one.” 

“What?” Steve said again, the ability to make conversation apparently having escaped him entirely. Worst, he realized he was _blushing_. Steve hadn’t blushed since the chorus girls had asked him to help them button up back in 1943. There was no way it would be attractive beneath the green of his intricately decorated mask.

Smoothly, James shifted a bit closer and murmured, “You were like a shining gem among the stones all about you.”

Flirting, Steve’s mind supplied, James was _flirting_. Natasha had traded him for a _date_. He was definitely going to kill her. Inventively. As soon as he _stopped blushing _.__

__“And your bright idea was to ruin my op?” Steve blurted._ _

__James shrugged, a slow undulation of his muscular shoulders._ _

__“I had to catch your attention somehow.”_ _

__“There are other ways to do that,” Steve snapped, not even sure why he was irritated any more. Except that he was still blushing._ _

__“...and make sure you couldn’t slither away,” James continued as if Steve hadn’t spoken._ _

__“Slither?” Steve repeated. Then the rest of James’ words struck him and his gaze darted to the balcony doors. The closed balcony doors, that he couldn’t reach without going _through_ James. “Oh.”_ _

__“Mm hmm,” James agreed, “the way you are trying right now.”_ _

__Steve realised then that he was doing a half-conscious sideways shuffle in attempt to get away, and James was very smoothly matching his movements, managing to keep Steve away from the door without actually touching him. It was incredibly impressive._ _

__Slowly, Steve said, “You are infuriating.”_ _

__James tilted his head sideways, humming again._ _

__“Probably,” he agreed easily, “but the more important question is, am I also attractive?”_ _

__Blinking rapidly, Steve pretended he didn’t immediately let his gaze slide up and over James’ body._ _

__“Apparently you’re conceited,” he threw at the man instead._ _

__James tilted his head back and laughed, a deep, chest-rumbling sound that honestly did more to Steve’s libido than any picture of a hot guy had ever done. It went _through_ him, like molten lava, and Steve found himself leaning heavily against the wall again. Which was not in any way _fair_. _ _

__“If I played nice, you would have been in and out of here before I got a good look at you, much less had a chance to talk.” James didn’t sound as if he was apologising, but there was something so rakish and charming in his voice, Steve felt himself softening towards him. If slowly, not that he would admit it._ _

__“You have no way to know that,” Steve said quickly. “You certainly didn’t try. I would remember.”_ _

__“Because I’m attractive?” James said with a smirk. He reached for Steve again, brushing the backs of his fingers over the length of Steve’s forearm, making him shiver._ _

__“Because a man doesn’t forget a voice like that,” Steve challenged, not stepping away. It was reckless and probably stupid, but then he was known for that._ _

__“So you like it? My voice?” James leaned in closer, so close Steve could smell the subtle scent of his aftershave. “Would you like to hear me talk about how much I like you?”_ _

__

__“You’re insane,” Steve said with a laugh, though nothing about the situation was funny._ _

__“That’s not a no,” Jams noted, his breath tickling Steve’s cheek. He put his hand on the balcony railing, just inches from Steve’s hip. He wasn’t touching, but Steve was all too aware of that hand so close to him and the warmth that radiated from James like a furnace._ _

__“You can’t tell me you’ve done this just for a chance to tell me how much you like me,” Steve said, staring into those grey eyes like they’d tell him what the hell was going on here and why he liked it so much._ _

__“I did,” James said easily, nodding a little, and Steve realised that this man had no shame. None at all._ _

__“What’s the catch?” Steve demanded, not willing to be as naive as Natasha always accused him._ _

__The full lips pursed, feigning confusion before they stretched out again into a grin._ _

__“Right now?” James stepped in so close to Steve they were almost touching. “I think you _are_ the catch.”_ _

__James moved his hand from the railing to Steve’s hip, palm settling lightly over the cloth. Steve sucked in a breath, made himself hold still. It had been a long time since anyone had flirted with him like this, so insistently, but Steve found he couldn’t just let himself believe it. Not when he wanted it so much._ _

__“Take off the mask,” Steve said, even as he pulled off his own and shoved it into his back pocket. “Let me see you, and you can tell me anything you want.”_ _

__James hummed, slow and considering._ _

__“I think a gesture of good faith is needed first.” he said finally. “There are only a few people in the world who know what I look like. If you are to be one of those very select few, I feel like I need something from you first.”_ _

__“Like?” Steve managed, wondering if maybe Natasha had left him in over his head here._ _

__“A kiss would do the trick,” James offered. “A nice, long, wet kiss… I’m sure it would ease my worries.”_ _

__“Your worries?” Steve repeated._ _

__“Yes, after all, I am alone here and you have a full team with you. You are asking me to reveal my identity… A man can feel threatened, you know? Very scary situation,” James was slowly rumbling, his thumb pressing tiny, gentle circles to Steve’s hipbone._ _

__Steve couldn’t help but laugh. Leaning forward, he shook his head, their lips not-quite-brushing together, and declared, “You ain’t scared of nothin’,” his accent thicker than it had been in years._ _

__“I’m trembling,” James protested. “All you have to do is touch me to verify.”_ _

__Steve did, reaching for James and pressing his hand against his chest, just above his heart. He could feel the warmth of the body beneath the silk, the firmness of the muscle, and the hard _thump-thump_ of James’ heart._ _

__“You ain’t trembling,” Steve said, his own voice hushed, but challenging._ _

__“I am,” James insisted, leaning so close Steve could feel his breath on his lips. “You have to try harder to feel it. You are barely touching me.”_ _

__Steve pressed his hand harder to James’ chest, leaning against him, and said, “Your lines are terrible,” just before closing his eyes, and closing the last distance between their lips. James’ were soft, but chapped, warm and parting just slightly beneath his, tasting of champagne. Steve heard his own breathing turn shaky and ragged, though the touch was light, brief, and then he was pulling back and cursing how hard he was blushing again. What James did to him was ridiculous. It was just a kiss._ _

__“You are such a tease,” James murmured, his voice even lower than before, his body still hot beneath Steve’s hands - and when had he pressed both palms to James’ chest? “To tease me with this pale shadow of a kiss.” The full lips turned down in exaggerated sadness. “Like showing a man dying of thirst a cup of water and then taking it away.”_ _

__“I-I haven’t kissed a man since the ‘40s,” Steve protested, feeling his very ears grow hot with embarrassment._ _

__Steve couldn’t actually see the man’s eyebrows behind the mask, but he could feel them arching just fine._ _

__“This,” James moved his hand from Steve’s hip to his chest, boldly flattening it to his pecs and then dragging slowly, firmly down, to his flat belly, “doesn’t look like a body belonging to somebody alive since the forties.” After nearly swallowing his tongue at the confident groping, Steve didn’t know what to say. It was far too difficult to explain he’d been frozen for nearly seventy years. James’ eyes went wide. “You’re serious.”_ _

__“Surprise?” Steve laughed weakly. “Living relic of the Second World War, at your service.”_ _

__The slate grey eyes watched him with that same intense focus, no mockery in them at all._ _

__“It just seems like such a shame,” James murmured finally._ _

__“What?” Steve asked for the millionth time that evening._ _

__“That nobody paid proper attention to you for all those years,” James’ hand slid from Steve’s belly to his hip again, resting there confident yet light, fingers spread out, each fingertip a bright supernova of sensation to Steve._ _

__“I might be married to my work,” Steve gasped, feeling dizzy._ _

__“Then she is not treating you right and I did well to interrupt it,” James said firmly, shifting so that his thigh was very subtly pressing against Steve’s. Almost instinctively Steve spread his legs, just a little, to give James space, not really thinking how that would let the man that much closer to him._ _

__“She?” Steve said, and then decided he didn’t care what the hell James meant. “Jesus, just kiss me, you utter bastard.”_ _

__The eyes behind the mask lit up, as if Steve had offered some kind of gift._ _

__“Of course, darling. I would never keep someone as beautiful as you waiting.”_ _

__Before Steve had the time to react, James was kissing him. And oh boy, but was it different. The sneaky man used the knee he had so subtly pressed forward to change his stance to a more grounded one. He used the hand on Steve’s hip to pull him closer, pressing Steve to his chest like one of the girls on the covers of trashy romance novels Steve had seen in airport shops. Then James’ lips were against his own, his tongue licking a series of teasing, infuriating kitten licks to Steve’s lips. Just as he opened his mouth to protest the teasing, James’ tongue was slipping in, smooth and soft and confident. James licked at him, slow and sure, kissing him thoroughly, humming deep in his throat, holding Steve against that hard, hot body, and enjoying the kiss and their closeness, and _Steve_ so much, he whimpered. It felt so good, the slow pace, the caress running from Steve’s neck, to his lower back, teasing and arousing, but never actually straying into uncomfortable territory. James somehow managed to tow that line between pushy and sexy, never once landing on the wrong side, and leaving Steve clinging to his arms, barely able to keep on his feet._ _

__The kiss grew deeper, James pushing him back so Steve was pressed between the powerful body and the wall. The moan that left Steve took him by surprise, loud enough to fill the air, and he jerked back reflexively, and found himself staring up at James’ still masked face. The smirk he wore epitomized the cat who had got the cream. His eyes lingered on the wet softness of James’ lips. They were so soft, so inviting, that Steve had to fight the urge to lean in and kiss him again._ _

__Flexing his fingers to make sure they weren’t shaking, Steve reached up and slipped his fingertips beneath James’ mask. Though it had been part of their deal, he didn’t pull immediately away, gave James a chance to change his mind. James only stared at him, eyes dark, waiting, not backing out of their deal, and Steve gently pulled the mask up and off. Long, black strands of hair escaped the smooth bun fluttered slightly in the night breeze as Steve stared, speechless at a face he knew better than his own, the high, perfect cheekbones, strong, dimpled chin, and a mouth that could make a nun sin._ _

__“Bucky?” he whispered._ _

__“Who the hell is Bucky?” James asked with a frown, tilting away from Steve, the open lust shuttering away._ _

__“I…” Steve trailed off not sure if he could even believe the evidence of his eyes. He swept his eyes over the man’s face over and over, trying to find something that _wasn’t_ Bucky. They were his gorgeous eyes, grey and blue and gold, little crow’s feet around their corners that Steve didn’t remember, but would have come with age. Years Bucky had never gotten because Steve had watched him die, yet the little scar over his left eye he’d gotten in a fight Steve had started was there, curling like a comma, but faded with time. “You don’t know me?”_ _

__James frowned and took a small step back._ _

__“I’m assuming you don’t mean meeting you here and now?” Steve shook his head and James’ frown deepend. “No. I don’t know you.”_ _

__There was something unsure in the man’s voice though, a small thread of hesitance that caught Steve’s attention._ _

__“Yes, you do,” Steve pressed. “That’s why you did all this.”_ _

__Steve stepped forward, catching his hand in James’ - Bucky’s - suit to keep him from going further away._ _

__“No,” James shook his head. “Why do you think we met before?”_ _

__Flicking his gaze to the scar again, Steve opened his mouth and shut it again. How many people could have ended up with a scar just there? Surely Steve and Bucky weren’t the only kids to ever get into fights. Hell, Bucky probably gave a scar like that to dozens of guys who put their hands on Steve. There was no denying the man looked like Bucky, but _being_ Bucky? No, Bucky would have known him._ _

__“You…look like someone. The scar and… Sorry.” Steve stepped back, letting go of the fabric he’d crumpled beneath his fingers. “I just… You look just like him.”_ _

__“Scar?” James asked unexpectedly, his eyes sharpening, that skin-prickling focus back and directed solely at Steve._ _

__Steve motioned above his own eye, smiling wryly._ _

__“Bucky had one just like it. I mean he looks - looked - just like you do.”_ _

__James frowned and raised his fingers to ghost over the scar Steve was talking about._ _

__“What kind of name is Bucky? I have never met a person called that before.”_ _

__“Well, his name was James, too, but he hated it. Bucky was a nickname, short for Buchanan, his middle name.” Steve pushed a hand through his hair, as if he still had long bangs to push out of his face. “I’m… I’m sorry. Really. He was just really important to me.”_ _

__James opened his mouth, then closed it, licked his lips, and then opened them again._ _

__“Do you have any pictures?”_ _

__Steve blinked at the strange question._ _

__“What?”_ _

__“Pictures. A video? Can you show me how he looked?”_ _

__“Um, no, I don’t carry that stuff for missions, but…I think there’s one at the Smithsonian.” Steve yanked his phone from his pocket, unlocking the screen and pulling up the Internet. “Maybe I can Google it?”_ _

__James was coming close again, his eyes fixed on the phone. He nodded sharply at Steve as he typed in “James Buchanan Barnes”. In moments there were pictures of the Howlies on his phone, and he had to decide which one he wanted to show James. He settled on one of him and Bucky, one of the promotional ones where they were in full uniform, side-by-side. Pulling it up, he showed it to James, who reached out to tilt the screen towards him, the frown on his face deepening. Then he pulled the device completely from Steve’s hand and began to page through the pictures rapidly, sometimes stopping to enlarge the pictures and then huff quietly, probably at the poor quality of some of them compared to modern, digital pictures, before paging to another again._ _

__“See what I mean?” Steve asked after some time._ _

__“When were those taken?” James asked, his voice still sharp and focused._ _

__“During the War,” Steve said. “Bucky was my exo, my second. We didn’t really have the money for a camera, so there’s no pictures from before. Wouldn’t be those, if, well...” Steve shrugged. The whole Captain America title had been good for one thing, but Steve did wish he had more pictures of Bucky back before the war._ _

__“The way he stands and gesticulates is different,” James said slowly, “but the scar is identical. The face…”_ _

__Steve blushed._ _

__“Look, I’m sorry -”_ _

__“No,” James interrupted him sharply. “The scar is identical.”_ _

__“Yeah,” Steve said slowly, “he fought two guys bigger ‘an us after I heard one call a girl - well, it wasn’t nice. How’d you get yours?”_ _

__“I don’t scar,” James said flatly before meeting Steve’s gaze again._ _

__“Um,” Steve said, because clearly the man did. “Bucky had…another one on his forearm? A burn, from when he was a kid and he tried to sneak a pie right out of the oven, kind of shaped like a parenthesis.”_ _

__James stilled for the longest time, his body completely motionless in the most unnatural of way. Then he erupted into movement, opening the buttons on his jacket, shrugging it off, and throwing it over the railing._ _

__“Which one?” he asked sharply, all but barking at Steve._ _

__“Th-the right,” Steve said, uncertain what James was trying to prove now._ _

__James opened the cuff on his right hand and pulled the shirt up, exposing a tanned forearm, corded with muscle. He bent the arm, showing Steve the back of it and a faded, dark scar that Steve knew so well. It was only when he saw his own hand reaching for the mark did he realize he had, his hand shaking as his fingers brushed over the burn. The breath he sucked in was mirrored by James._ _

__“I don’t… You don’t know me?” Steve made himself ask._ _

__James shook his head._ _

__“As far as I know, I was born in 1972 in Novosibirsk, Russia.” James looked down at his forearm. “But I don’t remember getting this scar.”_ _

__Swallowing hard, wondering if he was losing his mind, Steve curled his hand over James’ forearm._ _

__“I know every scar Bucky ever got,” he whispered. “Every freckle, every mole. I know his body better than my own.”_ _

__“And the arm?”_ _

__Steve blinked, then repeated, “...arm?” because it clearly meant something to Bucky he didn’t understand._ _

__“The arm,” James said again, grey eyes intense and bright. “How did I get it?”_ _

__“I…” Steve shook his head, tightening his grip on James’ forearm. “Bucky was born with his arms. I don’t, I don’t think I understand what you’re asking.”_ _

__Frowning again, James shook his head and unbuttoned his left cuff, sneaking his fingers under the loose sleeve. Then he pinched the skin with unusual force, pulled, and Steve watched, horrified, as the skin stretched and stretched and then suddenly gave, becoming _loose and slipping off_. Steve wasn't sure what to do, recoil in horror or lunge for the skin to stop the bleeding… Only there was no bleeding._ _

__The skin bunched up and he watched, stomach twitching, as James pulled it off like a fucking glove revealing shiny metal beneath. There was a fully articulated _metal hand_ beneath the skin. He watched as Bucky wrapped the skin into a tight roll and stuffed it into his pocket, like one does a tissue, completely unfazed by how it looked, using his metal hand, metal arm if what he glimpsed under the loose sleeve meant anything, as if it was a part of him._ _

__“This arm,” James said, after he looked up, stretching it towards Steve, the incredibly articulated palm made up of a multitude of shifting, gleaming, metal plates stretched out. Before James could say more Steve was moving, reaching for his shirt and unbuttoning the shirt, pushing it away and off his shoulder. The metal gleamed there, as well defined as Bucky’s arm had once been, mechanical plates fused to the rest of his torso with twisted, melted skin. It hurt to look at, the pain of the injury, the addition, right there to be read upon the man’s body._ _

__Realizing he had laid his hand over the unnatural join of flesh and metal, Steve jerked his hand away and looked up at James. The dark, steel eyes were unreadable as they watched Steve. They made it hard to breathe, demanding Steve explain what he couldn’t, because Bucky had been flesh and blood, not…not steel._ _

__Yet…_ _

__Turning back to James’ chest, Steve pushed at his shirt again, this time on the other side. His hand was shaking when he laid it over the the fine lines that lay like deep scratches above his collarbone, stretching down, under his arm._ _

__“Bucky didn’t have…have an arm like that,” Steve couldn’t make his voice louder than a whisper. James’ face visibly fell at Steve’s words. “But this. There was a Hydra camp, during the war, and he had to scale a fence topped with barbed wire. He got caught in it. Tore himself free.”_ _

__“But he didn’t have the arm,” James said, his voice slow and almost disappointed._ _

__“No,” Steve swallowed, looking at it again and making himself touch, making him lay his hands over the scarred skin, and slide his hand up, over the cool metal. The plates shivered under his touch, adjusting, changing, and separating into tiny pieces that looked more like dragon skin than anything else. It made something curl in Steve’s stomach, hot and tight, and he swallowed hard as he pressed his fingers just a little harder to the suddenly pliant surface._ _

__Without warning, James went from compliant to dangerous, grabbing Steve by the throat and pushing him back against the wall. For a moment Steve went to fight, but then James’ lips were on his again, kissing him for all he was worth. Clutching at James’ wrist, he held on, and just…gave in, letting James’ tongue sweep into his mouth, fucking into him over and over, taking Steve’s breath away without even squeezing his throat._ _

__Then James was pulling back, staring at him from milimeters away._ _

__“He ever kiss you like that?” James demanded._ _

__Steve had to swallow before he could respond._ _

__“He was always gentle with me,” Steve admitted, breathless with anticipation of just what James was going to do next._ _

__“I’m not a gentle kind of man,” James growled, pressing Steve a little more into the wall, pushing his knee between Steve’s thighs._ _

__“Neither was he,” Steve said, and he couldn’t have said why he was telling James about Bucky, except the scars were the same, and his eyes were the same, and his body had never wanted another man’s this much. “You don’t have to be.”_ _

__James’ eyes darkened, his hand flexing about Steve’s throat. Then he was straightening up, buttoning his shirt, and Steve blinked in no little confusion. Was that it? That…couldn’t be _it_._ _

__“I’m taking you home,” James declared, as if sensing Steve’s growing disappointment. It took Steve a moment to remember he had been on a mission, and while Natasha had kicked him off the comms, James must have been working as well. Where, exactly, did that make ‘home’?_ _

__“Okay,” Steve heard himself say, for once not stopping to consider the consequences. Natasha was capable, she would finalize the mission without him. The smile James gave him was feral, wicked, and made Steve’s toes curl._ _

__Then James reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone and activated it. Without taking his eyes from Steve for more than a few seconds at a time, he dialed a number and pressed the phone to his ear._ _

__“Serge, take over. I’m logging off.”_ _

__A loud voice came over the line asking questions, but James didn’t seem to pay any attention before disconnecting and dropping the phone back into his pocket. Reaching for Steve, he caught his hand, laced their fingers together and pulled him toward the door. Steve didn’t look away as he was pulled across the crowded floor. James’ metal hand was tucked into his pocket, hidden from sight. The guards didn’t even glance at them as James shouldered through the doors they were guarding, passing into the corridors behind the party, then up back stairs to the third floor. It was only then that James let go of him, punching in a code to a door, that swung open to reveal a large, luxurious suite._ _

__“I get the feeling,” Steve said as he walked in, “that this isn’t your place.”_ _

__James laughed._ _

__“Definitely not mine,” he didn’t stop in the lush sitting room, but pulled his metal hand from his pocket and opened another set of doors revealing a room with a huge bed dominating the space. “But there are over forty bedrooms in this place. Nobody will die if I use one of them for my purposes.”_ _

__“What if somebody comes to kick us out?” Steve teased._ _

__“Then somebody _will_ die,” James said easily, turning to Steve and looking him up and down, visually planning how to divest him of his clothing as fast as possible._ _

__“You’d kill them for interrupting us?” Steve asked, heart beating rapidly as he gave in to that gaze and pulled off his tie, tossing it aside._ _

__James stilled, jerking his eyes to Steve’s._ _

__“I’m not a good man. People I work with know better than to interrupt my private time.”_ _

__That made Steve scowl, pausing with his fingers on the buttons of his starched white shirt._ _

__“So you do this a lot, huh?”_ _

__James stalked closer, narrowing his eyes at Steve._ _

__“Jealous?”_ _

__Steve watched as James reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bottle from his pocket. He looked at it before tossing it onto the bed with a negligible flick of his hand, landing near the pillows._ _

__“Yes,” Steve snapped._ _

__“No one here but you and me now,” James crooned, reaching for Steve’s shirt and finishing opening the buttons at the top. Steve let him, but couldn’t stop the twisting in his stomach at the thoughts of other hands on James’ body, learning the scars that matched Bucky’s, and the ones that didn’t._ _

__James’ hands pushed his shirt off his shoulders and his gaze swept over Steve’s naked chest and stomach._ _

__“Jesus,” James murmured, spreading the palms of his hands over Steve’s pecs and slowly dragging them down to his abdomen, then circling them about his hips, as if he was trying to see if his fingers could wrap about Steve’s waist. “You are stunning,” he continued in a slightly hoarse whisper._ _

__“That’s why you wanted me, right?” Steve challenged._ _

__James hummed._ _

__“That and the tightly leashed power in every move you make.” He pushed his fingers under the waistband of Steve’s pants. “You are dangerous,” he rumbled shifting to the front of Steve’s pants and starting to unbutton them. “It intrigues me, the dichotomy of what your face says and what your body says.”_ _

__“My...my face?” Steve asked, feeling his heart race again as James’ hands didn’t hesitate even a moment as they continued to strip him, peeling back his slacks and pushing them off his hips._ _

__“You admit to your capability with your body, but your face denies it.” James put his hands on the bared skin of Steve’s hips, his touch raising goosebumps, as they traced the dip between leg and pelvis. “What’s intriguing, is I don’t think you are lying with either.”_ _

__“A-and that makes you want this?” Steve questioned, not understanding James at all. He had Bucky’s face, Bucky’s body, but he was right - they didn’t act the same at all._ _

__James looked into Steve’s eyes again, his own eyes dark, a small frown forming between his brows._ _

__“Like now,” he said suddenly. “Your body knows what it wants, knows how to react.” He put his hand on Steve’s already half hard cock and stroked him lightly, teasingly through the cloth of his underwear. Steve’s knees went weak at the bold touch. “Yet at the same time you seem to be unwilling to believe what is already happening. I saw you, how you moved how you smiled, and I was intrigued. I wanted to talk to you, to touch you. What’s so hard to believe in that?”_ _

__Steve swallowed, not wanting to voice all those reasons. How he wasn’t that guy, how that had been Bucky, and he wasn’t used to being tall, or strong, even now. He didn’t want to talk about it, especially not with James’ hand still pressed to his groin._ _

__Instead of answering, Steve reached for James’ shirt and returned the favor, pushing it open and off. James let him, his hands moving back to Steve’s hips and holding, as he smoothed his hands over the defined powerful muscles that rippled beneath James’ skin. He tried not to linger on the horrific scars surrounding the place the metal shoulder met flesh. Bucky had been strong, but he hadn’t been this built._ _

__Tucking his fingers into James’ waistband, he tugged, flicking his gaze up teasingly, and was rewarded with James licking his lips._ _

__“Tell me you didn’t want them as much,” Steve said, his fingers lingering over the metal button of James’ slacks._ _

__“I never showed them my arm, either.” James leaned into Steve, brushing their lips together once, twice, and then kissing him hard and deep, letting Steve know in no uncertain terms what he wanted. Steve gave into him, letting James take what he wanted as he pulled open his pants. He didn’t get a chance to push them off James’ hips, though, the submission making James grab him again by the hip and throat, and steer him towards the bed. When Steve’s legs hit it, he fell, and James stood over him, smirking._ _

__“Take them off,” James said. “Let me see.”_ _

__It didn’t occur to Steve at all to refuse, slipping his hands beneath the waistband of his underwear and pushing them down and off so his cock flopped free, hard and thick, slapping against his lower belly. James licked his lips, eyes drinking in Steve’s cock, and then pushed his pants off his hips, letting them fall to the floor._ _

__“God, you’re big,” James purred. “The things I’m going to do to you…”_ _

__James placed a knee on the bed, between Steve’s legs, and crawled forward._ _

__“Um,” Steve felt his breath catch, “lube?”_ _

__The laugh that rumbled from James made Steve’s cock twitch._ _

__“Let me worry about that. First,” James’ smile was wicked, and suddenly so much like Bucky’s when he was successful in talking Steve into bed, “I want a taste.”_ _

__Crawling up Steve, James pressed his lips to Steve’s knee, then above, kissing a line of fire up his thigh, making him spread his legs wide as James settled between them. “James,” Steve whispered as a hand curled around his balls, squeezing gently, and another burning kiss was pressed just beside his cock, teasing and so close to his sensitive flesh. “James,” Steve gasped as he was granted another filthy grin and a long, pink tongue licked him from root, to tip. He shuddered, breath leaving him in a rush, and he reached down to grab James’ head._ _

__“Delicious,” James purred._ _

__A moment later, he wrapped his lips around Steve’s tip, and sucked. Steve cried out, back arching off the bed, reflexively pushing down on James’ head. To his shock, James went, swallowing him down like water, taking his entire length, his throat working against his length. Pleasure and warmth rushed through him like electricity, making his muscles at once weak and tense. It felt wet,, and tight, and _so good_. He shouted, felt James’ laugh as vibrations around his cock, and shouted again._ _

__“Oh god, oh fuck, James,” Steve babbled, his entire body on fire, the pleasure curling within him, threatening to undo him already. He pressed his knees against the wide bulk of James’ shoulders, holding onto the man desperately, all but curling around James’ head in his lap._ _

__Pulling off, still smirking, James squeezed Steve’s balls, and he fell back, limp, onto the bed again._ _

__“I’m going to enjoy tonight,” James said, crawling up Steve, digging his fingers into his shoulders. “Taking you apart, every way I know how, over and over.”_ _

__Steve huffed out a disbelieving laugh because James had already blown his mind, left Steve reeling so he wasn’t sure he would survive ‘over and over’. Sitting up, Steve curled his fingers into Jame’s hair, pulling the bun apart, and feeling the cool dark strands tangle between his fingers._ _

__Tugging, he pulled, urging James up to kiss him again. James _surged_ into the kiss, his lips wet and swollen as they fit themselves against Steve’s, tongue sneaking inside with its customary confidence. The taste of himself of James’ tongue made Steve’s breath catch, but it was James’ confidence that was going to be his undoing. The man was so physical, so at ease in his powerful body; he didn’t seem to care about the scars, or the metal prosthetic. It was so alien to Steve, who was always self conscious, yet so alluring. His own body had no blemishes, no scars, nothing to be ashamed of, and yet he couldn’t feel truly at ease when being so intimate. Not like James._ _

__Two thick thighs pressed against his hips as James straddled him, his body so close to Steve’s he could feel the man’s cock, hard and dripping, brush his belly. James moaned into his mouth, pulling Steve closer, his fingers digging into Steve’s shoulders, and Steve grabbed at his waist, holding him tightly as he forgot to breathe and spots danced before his vision. He was sucking on James’ tongue, moaning just as loud, eager and more turned on than he’d been since…well, since Bucky._ _

__James settled in his lap, his hard cock sliding obscenely over Steve’s tense abs, driving thoughts of anything else from his mind. Shamelessly, James undulated his hips, rubbing himself on Steve’s belly, smearing pre-come over the taught muscles. Squeezing James’ hip, Steve kissed him harder, nipping at his lower lip, and was rewarded with louder, eager moans. Steve was so focused on the sensation, he twitched in surprise when James’ ass rubbed at the straining tip of Steve’s own cock, the man having spread his thighs enough he was still humping Steve’s stomach even as his ass teased Steve’s cock._ _

__Unable to let go of James’ hair, afraid it would end the filthy, wet kiss, Steve let his other hand slip down James’ hip, over the hard, straining thigh. He could feel the muscles flex and shift with every slow, deliberate grind. Moaning at the strength in that thick muscle, he ran his hand down, over the warm skin, feeling the small hairs against his palm, to the knee, then back up. This time he didn’t stop at James’ hip, feeling bold as he let himself grope the firm, flexing ass. Though he blushed, mostly in pure pleasure, Steve grabbed hold of that wonderful ass and pulled James closer, pressing them together, and all but squishing James’ hard cock between their bellies. James exhaled sharply against Steve’s mouth, but didn’t break the kiss and Steve bit lightly at his lips in response, so turned on he didn’t even know where to begin. James, thankfully, knew exactly what he was doing._ _

__Leaning away, he broke the kiss as he reached for something behind him on the bed. Though Steve was reluctant to let him go, he was rewarded when James immediately returned to kissing him, his metal arm hooked over Steve’s shoulders as leverage. A moment later, the sound of a bottle lid popping open caught his full attention. Using his hold on James’ hair, Steve pulled him back, and the man chuckled, then held up the small bottle. This time, Steve read it._ _

__“You carry lube in your pocket?” Steve squeaked._ _

__“I believe in being well prepared,” James said seriously._ _

__“It’s _lube_ ,” Steve couldn’t help but repeat, as if James didn’t know that already. Only…who carried lube around in their pocket? Tony, probably, and that was enough of an answer for Steve to know how very strange it was._ _

__“One can never know when a hot secret agent will waltz into one’s life. If I didn’t have the lube we would have to go _looking_ for some.” James nipped at Steve’s lips. “And then you might have changed your mind.”_ _

__“No,” Steve said firmly, surprised by how sure he was, “I wouldn’t.”_ _

__James’ intense eyes watched him for a moment, and then he smiled, slow and wicked and full of promises. Instead of speaking, though, he wrapped a lube-slick hand around Steve’s cock and slowly stroked from tip to base._ _

__“Oh, Jesus,” Steve swore, hips thrusting up into the loose grip, confused and surprised, but not complaining. James kissed him again, fiercely, and Steve moaned, thrusting into his hand and tangling his own back into James’ long hair, pulling reflexively each time James squeezed him._ _

__When he just as abruptly let go, Steve whined, but the whine soon turned into a yelp when James rose up and then settled down with Steve’s tip pressed to his hole. Though he tried to pull back, worried there hadn’t been enough preparation, James just caught his head between his hands, kissed him for all he was worth, and slowly settled down._ _

__Steve wasn’t too ashamed to say he stopped breathing._ _

__Tight heat enveloped his cock, squeezing so hard it nearly hurt. Hot and tight, it made his whole world narrow to just that one place of connection. It was so tight, almost too tight, slick and hot, slowly enveloping him. Then James was rocking off, pulling so just the tip was inside him, then slowly sank down again. Little by little, he took every inch of Steve inside, easing on to him, stretching his body like Steve didn’t think was possible, but he held completely still, worried any movement might hurt James, or ruin his rhythm. Then he was completely sheathed inside the clenching heat, and he sucked in a breath, gasping, as if brought back to life._ _

__Steve stared, entranced and breathless at Jame’s face, how his eyes were almost completely closed, but his lips were parted and shiny. There were tiny, pleased moans passing through those open lips, and Steve found himself matching the sounds, hypnotized by them and James’ beauty. He looked so pleased, a flush staining his cheeks, lips curling up at the corners, and Steve felt like the image burn itself into his mind for all eternity._ _

__“You’re beautiful,” Steve whispered, but was startled to watch as James’ smile turned to a scowl and he opened his eyes only to glare at Steve._ _

__“Because I look like Bucky?” he snapped._ _

__“No,” Steve quickly assured, wrapping his arm firmly about James’ waist and tugging hard on his hair with the other, “because you’re…so confident. So sure of yourself.”_ _

__James laughed softly, letting his head fall back into Steve’s hand._ _

__“There’s so much pain in the world; it’s so easy to fall into darkness,” he whispered. “If you have the chance to get it, you shouldn’t deny yourself pleasure. It’s so rare as it is.”_ _

__“I’m here, aren’t I?” Steve asked, sliding his hand up James’ spine. “I’m with you.”_ _

__Looking down at Steve, James carefully tightened his arms around his shoulders, then just as slowly smiled._ _

__“Yeah, you are.”_ _

__That was all the warning Steve got before James began to _move_. Lifting himself up and dropping back down, taking Steve effortlessly. He moaned as he sat down again, loud and filthy, and threw his head back again. It was as incredible to feel as it was to watch, as James just _took_ his own pleasure, fucking himself on Steve over and over. _ _

__Steve let go of James’ hair finally, too turned on to have any brainpower left to plan. He wanted to touch, to run his hands over James’ body, everywhere, and he _could_. He ran his hands over the muscled stretch of James’ back, down to the dip of his spine and then over the swell of his ass. He cupped both cheeks, pulling them to the side, stretching James’ hole, and was rewarded with a louder moan and a tight clench on his cock that made Steve moan in return. He couldn’t believe how tight James was, how good he felt on his cock, could hardly believe this was happening at all. _ _

__Spurred by the sound James was making, Steve slid his fingers between the firm cheeks, to that hot, slick space where they were connected, and traced the stretched ring of muscle there, shuddering at the sensation of his own fingers brushing his cock as it disappeared into James’ body. He pressed there, at the slick, hot point of connection. He didn’t try to properly push in his fingers, just feeling, teasing, enjoying the way James clenched down on him, so hard it made him see stars._ _

__“Oh, god, Stevie,” James gasped, head still thrown back, moving faster, slamming himself down onto Steve every time. “Your cock is so fuckin’ thick. Hits me just right every god…damn…time… _Fuck_.”_ _

__“You feel incredible,” Steve blurted, “So good, James, I can’t stand it.”_ _

__James laughed, wild and free, taking Steve’s breath away._ _

__“Not too much longer. Just hold on, darling. Just…oh god.”_ _

__Steve held on, squeezing James’ cheeks in his hands, and biting his lip. He couldn’t take his eyes away from James’ face, from the swollen, plump lips that parted on every exhale. His eyes were closed, thick, dark eyelashes clumped together with sweat fanning his flushed cheekbones. He was the hottest, sexiest man Steve had ever seen._ _

__“Okay,” James gasped, “‘M gonna… _Steve_!”_ _

__Every muscle in James’ body seemed to clench at once, tightening painfully on Steve’s cock. Whimpering, Steve squeezed his own eyes shut, and felt hot come splatter over his chest and abs. When he opened his eyes, James slumped forward, head on Steve’s shoulder, breath coming in ragged gasps, pink lips parted. He was just leaning in for a kiss when James shook himself, took a long, deep breath and lifted himself off Steve again._ _

__“Oh, fuck, James,” Steve cursed and the man in question laughed._ _

__“Think I’m gonna leave ya hanging?” he whispered, lips against Steve’s, and then was kissing him. Kissing him and rolling his hips, fucking himself on Steve despite having _just_ come. Steve couldn’t _take_ it, and he shouted, grabbed James by the waist, rolled them both over, and pinned his arms to the bed. James just gasped as Steve began to pound into him, strong legs hooking over Steve’s hip obligingly, body twitching with each thrust, his cock soft and vulnerable between his legs, making no motion for Steve to stop. He just took it, took it and gasped, neck arching back, tendons straining, but he was still staring into Steve’s eyes as he let go for the first time since he’d gotten this body. The sounds James was making - short, sharp gasps on every thrust in - were driving Steve half mad with pleasure and lust._ _

__Steve’s orgasm, when it came, took his breath and his vision. It was so powerful, so all-encompassing, he must have passed out because he didn’t remember pulling out, or curling about James, but that was how he came back to himself, head pillowed on the metal shoulder, the flesh hand carding through his damp hair._ _

__“Jesus,” Steve whispered._ _

__“Had nothin’ t’do with it, so keep ‘im out of it,” James said sleepily._ _

__Steve snorted, turning his head to nuzzle against the surprisingly warm, pliant metal._ _

__“Your accent changes when you’re well-fucked,” Steve noted as James sighed in contentment. “Did you notice?”_ _

__“You say so,” James murmured, obviously halfway to being asleep. Chuckling, Steve moved to sit up and both the flesh and metal arms tightened about him. “No,” James said sharply._ _

__More than a little touched, Steve nuzzled back against the metal arm and felt it shiver beneath his lips. Carefully, he rolled James onto his back, then eased himself over the man. The arms about him loosened a fraction, grey eyes watching him almost curiously as he stretched across James’ torso, lying over him so they touched as much as possible._ _

__“Can’t believe I did that,” Steve murmured, hands and lips idly touching James everywhere he could reach without moving from his new perch. It felt good to not worry about his partner. Something in James’ self assurance, his confidence put Steve at ease too, made him relax._ _

__“Mm, so you’re a talker afterwards,” James said, but when Steve looked up, he was smiling. “I’m glad you did. Aren’t you?”_ _

__“Very,” Steve confirmed, lips over James’ clavicle. Then he remembered something, maybe a coincidence but... “You called me Stevie.”_ _

__The hand on his back stopped its movement and James seemed to awaken more, that focus prickling Steve’s skin._ _

__“Stevie,” James repeated, but his voice sounded odd, thoughtful, almost confused._ _

__“James?” Steve asked, pushing himself up and looking at James’ face._ _

__His lover was quiet, his brows furrowed, and eyes focused somewhere above Steve._ _

__“James?” he repeated, worried at the lack of response._ _

__“Stevie,” James said again, his voice slow as if he was tasting the words leaving his mouth. “It sounds…” he trailed off, his eyes focusing back on Steve._ _

__“Like a pet name?” Steve teased awkwardly, trying to chase away the strange tension in James._ _

__James was quiet for a long moment, his hand on Steve’s back was still, but warm._ _

__“Familiar,” James admitted, sounding heartbreakingly confused. “As if I’ve said that before.”_ _

__Steve swallowed._ _

__“It’s what Bucky used to call me when we were…together.” Something strange and dark passed through James’ eyes and Steve sat up, pushing James over onto his stomach. “And, he had this V shaped scar on his butt, from sliding into home plate during a game of stickball, but some drunk asshole had left a broken bottle on the field and we missed a piece…”_ _

__Steve stopped, staring at James’ round ass in his lap, and his hand was shaking as he reached out to touch the pale, raised skin. The scar was nearly three inches long, the glass shard having slid a distance under Bucky’s skin._ _

__“There was so much blood,” Steve whispered as he traced the mark from top to bottom and back again. “My ma had to…to stitch Bucky up. _How_ … James? How do you have his scars?”_ _

__James rolled off of Steve’s lap and sat down at the edge of the bed, letting his legs fall to the floor as he rubbed his hands over his face and then into his hair, messing it up even more. Though he hated having James so far, Steve didn’t try to crowd him or touch him._ _

__“I didn’t always remember my past,” James admitted. “There were…people, bad people who had me. They gave me this arm,” he waved the metal arm vaguely, “and they controlled me for a very long time. Wiped my memories so that I stayed obedient to their cause. After I escaped them, it took me a very long time to dig out any kind of reliable information about my past. My name was Yasha Kurienko, born in Novosibirsk, in 1972. The more information I recovered, the more memories I regained. I still remember the blocks of flats with their salmon-pink color and the uninsulated concrete walls, the rugs hanging on the walls of all the rooms…”_ _

__James swallowed and it took all of Steve’s self control not to wrap him in his arms. “But I don’t remember how I got the scar over my eye, the scar on my forearm, or the one on my ass. I remember the surgery that gave me this arm…but not how I lost the original one.” James turned to look at Steve. “What if, what I do remember is just a planted memory? If they could wipe my memories…maybe they could plant them, too?”_ _

__Shoving at the swirling emotions threatening to drown him, Steve inched closer to James._ _

__“My friend, Natasha, once told me some very bad people did that to her. That the memories of her childhood aren’t real. Is that…maybe how you know her, James?”_ _

__“We used to have the same masters,” James admitted. “A very long time ago. We met while I still wasn’t free of them.”_ _

__Slowly, afraid James might spook and run, Steve slid close enough he could wrap his arms about him and pull him into his lap again. Keeping him close with one arm, Steve used the other to push the long, soft strands of hair from James’ face behind his ears._ _

__“Maybe I’m crazy,” Steve said softly, “but…but if I think that your name is James Buchanan Barnes, that you were born in Brooklyn in 1917, right down the street from me, and I once knew you better ‘n’ I ever knew myself, would I ever be able to convince you to stay with me? To come home with me?”_ _

__James visibly hesitated, lowering his eyes before he raised them again and met Steve’s._ _

__“I think I want to try.”_ _

__The hope and wonder swelled in Steve fit to bursting, blurring the sight of James as tears filled his eyes, and he had to blink them back._ _

__“I don’t know how you’re real,” Steve whispered._ _

__James laughed._ _

__“Apparently, I’m not as real as I thought I was,” James said wryly, leaning deeper into Steve to kiss him, briefly, but with fire. At last Steve let him think of them as Bucky’s lips, lips he thought he’d never feel against his again. Yet, somehow, despite a fall that should have killed him, Bucky was here, in Steve’s arms. Bucky had found him._ _

__“You used to hate being called James,” Steve muttered._ _

__James laughed again._ _

__“I chose that name when I was establishing my identity in the US. James Barnaby.”_ _

__“Really?” Steve laughed, unable to help himself when the names were so damn similar. “Why’d you pick that?”_ _

__“I was offered an array of names. I picked that one immediately. Never wondered why. It just sounded…right?”_ _

__Steve kissed James again, harder this time._ _

__“Maybe you remember more than you think you do.”_ _

__James shook his head a little._ _

__“I like the name James,” he admitted roughly._ _

__“I’ll call you any damn thing you want,” Steve said fervently, “so long as I can call you mine.”_ _

__Frowning, James, ran a metal finger down Steve’s nose._ _

__“You don’t know I’ll be like him. I don’t remember you, or us, or…Brooklyn. I remember Russia.”_ _

__The laugh that took Steve probably didn’t help his argument any, but he couldn’t make it stop. He laughed, pressing his face to James’ chest. James was at least patient, poking at his shoulder and then just waiting for Steve to calm down._ _

__“Sorry,” Steve managed when he could again, sitting up and pecking a kiss on James’ mouth._ _

__“Laugh now,” James muttered, “I will laugh when you try to explain this to your team.”_ _

__Smiling fondly, Steve shrugged._ _

__“Okay, cards on the table, I can’t promise I won’t want you to remember him. I _can_ promise,” Steve said louder when James frowned, “that it won’t matter if you never do. I was in love with Bucky before I knew what love was. We were… _great_ together, but I’ve thought you were dead for six years, James. Dead and gone, and never, _ever_ coming back. If you think for a damned _second_ I don’t care how you’re back, so long as _you’re_ back, you’re the crazy one.”_ _

__James’ eyes were wide and wild and fierce._ _

__“And your team?” he pressed._ _

__“They only get a say if you’re a target.”_ _

__“And if I am?” James asked, his eyes dark. “If somebody pays you to go after me, orders you?”_ _

__Steve sat back, looking at James seriously because it sounded like James thought it a possibility._ _

__“Depends on why, mostly,” Steve answered honestly, “but the first thing I’d do is come to you. Alone.”_ _

__James huffed, but his shoulders dropped a little from their angry posture._ _

__“As long as you do,” he allowed, but still sounded wary._ _

__“I will,” Steve promised, “They’re close to me, close as family, but I’m not…not about to put my work above my personal life.” What Steve wanted to say was above his heart, but he thought that might be pushing it for James. Later, when he’d made sure James didn’t think he would betray him._ _

__“There were so many people, so many organisations that promised me things just as long as I obeyed their orders, molded to their shape. I won’t Steve. I am my own person and I will not compromise for the sake of pleasing anybody ever again. I want you. I want to try to find out if I really am your Bucky. I don’t want any organisation to be part of that.”_ _

__“Then they won’t be,” Steve said easily. It wouldn’t be that simple, not with the way S.H.I.E.L.D. practically thought they owned him, but he’d make it that easy if it was what James wanted. “I have minders, so you’ll have to give me time to get rid of them, but if it’s what you want…”_ _

__“Yes,” James said. “I can be inconspicuous. I just…,“ he licked his lips. “I trust you, even though I just met you. I don’t want somebody else trying to use the trust that’s only yours to have.”_ _

__Gently, Steve pulled James down into a kiss, sweet and tender and soft. James let out a soft whimper, like some how it was more intense than their passion, and then the door to the suite slammed open. While Steve’s first instinct was to protect James, James was faster. He shoved Steve to the bed, rolled, caught his gun from where it lay with his pants, and was covering Steve with his body as he pointed it at the door, at _Natasha_ , who was calmly aiming two back._ _

__“Huh,” Natasha said._ _

__“You want me to shoot you again?” James asked, uncurling. “Somewhere more painful this time?”_ _

__At that, Steve slipped from beneath James, putting himself between them because he knew better than to ask them to lower their weapons._ _

__“You already ruined my ever wearing a bikini again,” Natasha said and Steve snorted in unison with James. As if Natasha of all people couldn’t pull off a bikini. “Honestly, I thought you might be trying to murder him.”_ _

__“Why would I?” James asked. “You gave him to me.”_ _

__James stood up and went to his clothes, completely unbothered by his nakedness, but also not pointing the gun at Nat anymore. Taking the peace offering for what it was, she lowered her weapons as well, and then smirked, pointedly eyeing Steve. Flushing, he grabbed the blanket and yanked it over his waist._ _

__“Well, it’s Steve,” Natasha said. “Either he was going to let you take him to bed, or he was going to pick a fight about it, and then,” she waved her gun a bit, “Murder.”_ _

__“Hey,” Steve said, affronted._ _

__James paused with his pants halfway up his thighs._ _

__“Huh,” he said with a serious expression. “You might be right.”_ _

__“Of course I am,” Natasha said with a huff over Steve’s indignant squawk. “So?” She looked to Steve. “Now what?”_ _

__Blushing, Steve cleared his throat._ _

__“James is coming home with me.”_ _

__The gun froze in midair and then she looked hard at James._ _

__“You?” she asked flatly. “And you said yes?”_ _

__“Have to finish this contract, but yes.” James looked at Steve, eyes softening, and Steve found it hard to breathe again all of a sudden. “I said yes.”_ _

__“Wow,” Natasha said slowly._ _

__“Um, yeah, about that,” Steve looked back to his teammate. “Tony, I know you can hear me, so I need you to scrub all mention of James from the mission, okay? And did you guys have any problems?”_ _

__“Clint got his hand stuck in a vase,” Natasha said, watching Steve like he was an interesting fish in an aquarium, “but we got it done. Will James be joining us once his contract is done?”_ _

__“Don’t think he wants to,” Steve answered, glancing at James._ _

__James shrugged non-committedly. It was too early to talk about things like that, not before James had the chance to get to know them, trust them as more than just people Steve worked with. Maybe in time, if he wanted to. Steve wasn’t expecting anything._ _

__“Shame,” Natasha said, and it was the most glowing recommendation Steve had ever thought he’d heard from her._ _

__“Now,” Steve said tightly, “get out so I can get dressed.”_ _

__“Shame,” James echoed Nat’s words, down to the exact copy of her deadpan intonation._ _

__“Yeah, well,” Steve grumbled, “you started it.”_ _

__Both James and Natasha laughed, but the latter thankfully headed back out the door so Steve could swing his legs over the edge. A moment later, James was in his lap, all casual coolness gone. He pushed Steve’s head back and kissed him hard, all fire and intensity, like a thunderstorm. Steve was left gasping and clutching at his back, helpless before the onslaught._ _

__“How do I find you?” James asked._ _

__Steve chuckled._ _

__“I’m going to give you my address and phone number. Give me two weeks, I’ll get my bosses sorted so it’ll be safe for you.” He caught James’ face in his hands. “And don’t you dare think I’ll change my mind. I’d wait a lifetime for you, but I’d rather you didn’t make me.”_ _

__Flushed, James nodded, then kissed him again._ _

__“I’ve waited long enough to find you again,” he murmured. “I’ll be there.”_ _

__Steve couldn’t stop smiling because he knew, without any doubt, James was telling the truth._ _

__

__The End_ _

**Author's Note:**

> Come and visit us on Tumblr  
> [xantissa](http://xantissa.tumblr.com)  
> [Cleo4u2](http://cleo4u2.tumblr.com)


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